Book Descriptions
for Night Walk to the Sea by Deborah Wiles and Daniel Miyares
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
When the lights go out one night during a thunderstorm, little Roger, clad in Godzilla pajamas, huddles under a blanket with his great aunt (environmentalist Rachel Carson), trying to cover his fear with bravado. His patient aunt suggests a late-night walk after the storm is over, and the two make their way by lantern light through the forest, down to the sea. All the while, Roger, the self-described monster, stomps, roars, and crushes in an attempt to appear brave. But once they reach the sea, he is taken with the ocean's bioluminescence, which Rachel quietly points out to him, and then helps his aunt rescue a struggling firefly caught in the water. The fictionalized story combines two life events Carson described in her writing, and shows how a child's sense of wonder must sometimes be nurtured when nature has presented itself as something scary. The prose crackles with descriptive language that appeals to all five senses, and Miyares' expressive, stormy illustrations heighten the sense of the storm and the wonder. (Ages 4-7)
CCBC Choices 2021. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2021. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
This luminous picture book by an award-winning author and acclaimed illustrator is the perfect tool to discuss the importance of the natural world with young children, as well as introduce them to environmental activist Rachel Carson.
"I'm not afraid!" shouts Roger when he hears thunder outside...but he is afraid. When the storm quiets, his aunt Rachel decides to take him on a walk to see the beauty of the natural world at night. Over his Godzilla pj's goes his rain slicker; onto his feet go his monster boots, and together he and Rachel head down the rocky path to the sea. On the way they discover many marvels--a screech owl calling to its mate, ghost crabs tunneling in the sand, and most incredibly, the luminous life that lights up the water. When they find a tiny firefly who has lost its way, they bring it home and release it back into the woods. At last, Rachel tucks Roger into bed, telling him he is "nature's brave protector." An afterword introducing young readers to Rachel Carson, and explaining bioluminiscence, adds to the appeal of the book.
"I'm not afraid!" shouts Roger when he hears thunder outside...but he is afraid. When the storm quiets, his aunt Rachel decides to take him on a walk to see the beauty of the natural world at night. Over his Godzilla pj's goes his rain slicker; onto his feet go his monster boots, and together he and Rachel head down the rocky path to the sea. On the way they discover many marvels--a screech owl calling to its mate, ghost crabs tunneling in the sand, and most incredibly, the luminous life that lights up the water. When they find a tiny firefly who has lost its way, they bring it home and release it back into the woods. At last, Rachel tucks Roger into bed, telling him he is "nature's brave protector." An afterword introducing young readers to Rachel Carson, and explaining bioluminiscence, adds to the appeal of the book.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.
